Larina Warnock

“The Other Statistic”

Larina Warnock grew from a teen mother and high school dropout to a doctoral candidate at Creighton University and a high school teacher. Her journey has included violence, disability, and the death of her youngest son. A survivor of generational poverty, she has spent much of her life studying the causes of poverty and the tools used to break the poverty cycle. In this talk, Larina focuses on the interdependent nature of the relationship between helper and helpee. Through personal storytelling, she highlights the ways that internal and external expectations contribute to an individual’s ability to recognize and accept help toward a better life for themselves. She also discusses the personal sacrifices necessary to break the poverty cycle, providing context for the rationality of choosing an impoverished life.

Warnock’s dream is to create a centralized location where motivated people from poverty and other underrepresented populations can find tools and positive relationships that help them create the lives the desire. Currently, she teaches business at Roseburg High School where she advises both the Roseburg Future Business Leaders of America chapter and the Magic and Game Clubs.